1890 
Mar20-Apr2I Florida, 
Suwanee River . 
Common throughout the wooded bottoms to within at least three 
or four miles of the mouth of the river; less shy than at the 
North, but still not as a rule to be approached within less than 
a long gunshot. I heard only one vocal note during my entire 
stay on the river, namely, the usual long, laughing cry with its 
slow and quick variations. Mr. Chapman, however, heard one or 
both of a pair which were mating, utter a whicke r call similar to 
that of the Got den-winged Woodpecker. On several occas ign^s^ 
tried the experiment of calling these birds by imitating the^ sound 
of their pounding on the tree-trunks, and with marked success, in 
one instance the bird flying directly towards me, coming within a 
few yards. I observed during this trip a peculiar motion which I 
did not remember to have seen before, but which was universal 
among all hhe individuals which I saw at all distinctly. It was 
as follows: The bird just after alighting, and while clinging to 
a trunk with its back towards me, would throw out its head, first 
to one side and then to the other a dozen times or more in quick 
succession, the movement being almost as sinuous and graceful as 
that of a snake. 
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